Pre-Thaw Soviet Yiddish Journals

What follows is a selection of various Soviet journals, primarily from the 1930s. Literature and history are the primary areas of coverage. Two different Birobidzhan publications show the poverty and perseverance of the Jewish colonists. An early Yevsktzia journal shows the fervor of the early years. In the glowing light of hind-sight Ruth Weiss condemns the Jewish left. Yet, it is there looking back at us from the traces that remain of Jewish life lived under the broad shadow of a god that failed. Shame on us if we can't make something of all of their efforts.
As of the day of posting  these items are still available at the hollanderbooks.com website. 

Afn visnshaftlekhn front: byuletin fun institut far Yidisher proletarisher kultur ba der Vaysrusisher visnshaft-akademye: peryodishe oysgabe no. 1-2. Minsk, Institut far Yidisher proletarisher kultur ba der Vaysrusisher visnshaft-akademye, 1932. Octavos, paper covers, 196 pp., mildly yellowed paper. Softbound. Very Good. Text is in Yiddish (76938)   Proletarian historiography.   $75.00

Alukraynisher orgkomitet fun di Sovetishe shrayber. Farmest: literarish kinstlerisher un kritish-bibliografisher zshurnal: organ fun Alukraynishn orgkomitet fun di Sovetishe shrayber. Num 9, Sentyaber, 1937. Kharkov, Ukrmelukhenatsmindfarlag, 1937. Octavo, paper covers with minor wear, 112 pp. Softbound. Good. Text is in Yiddish.Contributors include Nair Zarian, David Hofstein, D. Volkenstein, Elye Shekhtman, Y. Kotlyar, F. Sito, A. Hoberman, H. Polianker and A. Velednitsky. Other than Hofstein these are minor authors from the Kharkov area. (76930)     $65.00

Der Komunist. Organ fun Ts. K.K.P. (B.) Oy., No. 7, Oktyaber, 1920. Kharkov, Komunistychna partiia Ukrainy. TSentral'nyi komitet., 1920. Quarto, stapled paper covers, 16 pp., printed on a rough paper used in this early Soviet period when resources were particularly scarce. Softbound. Very Good. Text is in Yiddish. Uncommon or rare, particularly in this condition. A Yevsektzia publication with articles about the Yevsektzia and including an interesting but quite surprising article on Jews in Iceland. Paper is course stock typical of the early and impoverished first years of the revolution. (76926)      $95.00

[Etin, L., edited by?]. Forpost: Drayhoydeshdiker literarish-kinstlerisher un politish-gezelshaftlekher zshurnal fun der Yidisher avtonomer gegnt 2-3, 1940. Birobidzhan, Farlag Emes, 1940. Small octavo, paper covers with minor wear to the spine, 140 pp. Softbound. Very Good. Text is in Yiddish. Uncommon. Though published in Birobidzhan this journal shows that Birobidzhan was still close to the center of Soviet Yiddish life. The journal opens with a phot and poem by Vladimir Mayakovsky on Lenin. Additional contributors include David Bergelson, Der Nister, A. Hofstein, H. Dobin, Zalman Wendroff, Ay. Bronfman and B. Kushnirovitsh. (76932)      $95.00

[Etin, L., edited by?]. Forpost: Drayhoydeshdiker literarish-kinstlerisher un politish-gezelshaftlekher zshurnal fun der Yidisher avtonomer gegnt 4-5, 1940. Birobidzhan, Farlag Emes, 1940. Small octavo, paper covers with minor wear to the spine, 160 pp., with some soiling, delicate, frontispiece photos of Lenin and Stalin. Softbound. Good. Text is in Yiddish. Uncommon. (76933)  Contributions by A. Kushnirok, B. Miler, Laizer Wolf, Y. Falikman, Moyshe Shimel, Sonye Heyferman, Yankev Shudrikh, S. Bordzshes, A Piatigorske, Loybe Vaserman and A. Vergelis With critical remarks by L. Singer, Y. Dobrushin, N. Grinberg and Kh. Nodel    $75.00

Etin, L., edited by. Forpost: Drayhoydeshdiker literarish-kinstlerisher un politish-gezelshaftlekher zshurnal fun der Yidisher avtonomer gegnt 2(7), 1938. Birobidzhan, Farlag Emes, 1938. Small octavo, paper covers, 185 pp. Softbound. Very Good. Text is in Yiddish. Uncommon. (76931)  With contributions by A. Kushnirok and B. Smain, Leib Kvitko, David Hofstein, B. Olievsky, S. Rosen, Z. Telesin, Henekh Koyfman, N. Auslander, Abraham Goldfaden, Zalmen Giterman, T. Heilikman, O. Margolis, H. Rabinkov, M. Magid.    $95.00

Fefer, Itzik, et al., edited by. Prolit: literarish-kinstlerisher, kritish-bibliografisher khoydesh-zshurnal fun der alukrainisher asotsiatsye proletarishe shrayber. No. 12, Dekaber, 1931, Ferter Yorgang. Kharkov, Farlag "Proletari," Alukrainisher asotsiatsye proletarishe shrayber, 1931. Small octavo, paper covers, rear cover soiled and with some tears, xii, 92 pp., mildly yellowed paper. Softbound. Good. Text is in Yiddish. OCLC Number: 35846128. (79341) A magazine of Proletarian Soviet literary theory. With a de rigeur opening essay by Comrade Stalin, but otherwise worth the read.      $60.00

Liberberg, Y. edited by. Visnshaft un revolyutsye: fertlyoriker zshurnal. No. 1-2, April-Yuni. Kiev, Farlag fun der Alukrainisher visnshaftlekher akademye, 1934. Octavo, rebacked in red library cloth, 171 pp. Softbound. Very Good. Text is in Yiddish. (76940)  The high end of Soviet Yiddish literary criticism and historiography. The left-wing of the group that participated in the YIVO literary, historical and philosophical big books.    $60.00

Liberberg, Y. edited by. Visnshaft un revolyutsye: fertlyoriker zshurnal. No. 3-4, Yuli-Dekaber. Kiev, Farlag fun der Alukrainisher visnshaftlekher akademye, 1934. Octavo, rebacked in red library cloth, old clear-tape repair to the title page, frontispiece portrait, 262 pp. Softbound. Good. Text is in Yiddish. (76942)      $60.00

Makagon, A. In kamf: arbetbukh af shprakh, literatur un gezelshaftkentenish: 3 yor. Moscow - Kharkov - Minsk, Tsentrfarlag, Alukrainishe opteylung, 1930. Octavo, worn front cover with repairs and lacking rear cover, 247 pp. Softbound. Fair. Text is in Yiddish. (76939)  A very politicized reading text for older-middle schoolers or high schoolers.   $60.00

Maltinski, Kh., edited by. Birobidzhan: Literarish-Kinstlerisher un gezelshaftlekh-politisher almanakh, organ fun der Faraynigung Sovetishe shrayber fun der Yidisher avtonomer gegnt. 1 (4). Birobidzhan, SSR, Gegntlekher Farlag, 1948. Royal octavo, paper covers, 83 pp., one page of music with notation. Softbound. Very Good. Text is in Yiddish. (76925)   Attention on Jewish resettlement in the Soviet East faded in the US after the breakdown of the United Front era. The massive displacement of refugees in the Soviet Union during the Second World War had the same effect there. However, in the post-war period there was a local revival effort and Maltinski's journal was part of it.   $95.00

Shtern: Literarish-kinstlerish un politish visnshaftlekher khoydesh-zshurnal 9. Septyaber, 1940. Zekhtster Yorgang. Organ fun Farband Sovetisher Shrayber fun Minsk. Minsk, Farband Sovetisher Shrayber fun Minsk, 1940. Small octavo, paper covers, frontispiece photo (of Lenin, of course), 96 pp., yellowed paper. Softbound. Good. Text is in Yiddish. With contributions by Binem Heller, Yitskhok Yanisovitsh, S. Berlinski, Efrayim Kaganovski, Khayim Semiatitski, I. Emiot, Yosif Okrutni, Maksim Tank, Z. Biadolya, Y. Shudrikh, Y.L. Kon, G. Gayfman, B. Mark, and A. Yuditzki (77100)      $50.00

Sovetish Literatur Almanakh: Faraynikung fun di Moskver Yidishe Sovetishe Shrayber bam Orgkomitet funem Farband fun Sovetishe Shrayber. Moscow, Farlag "Emes", 1934. Octavo, paper covers in a mildly edgeworn dust jacket, 336 pp. Hardbound. Good. Text is in Yiddish. Contributions from Peretz Markish, S. Gobiner, A. Kushnirov, E. Gordon, S. Rasin, Y. Rabin, Shmuel Halkin, Ziskind Levin, Ezra Finenberg, A. Frumkin, Moshe Viner, V. Olievsky, Y. Dobrushin and Yissrael Rabinovitsh. OCLC Number: 173850740. (77351)      $75.00

Sovetish Literatur Almanakh: Faraynikung fun di Moskver Yidishe Sovetishe Shrayber bam Orgkomitet funem Farband fun Sovetishe Shrayber 2. Moscow, Farlag "Emes", 1935. Octavo, brown cloth spine, printed paper covered boards, 439 pp. Hardbound. Good. In Yiddish. Contributions from D. Bergelson, A. Kushnirov, H. Dobin, Shmuel Halkin, D. Kliatskine, B. Miler, Peretz Markish, S. Gibiner, S. Rasin, Moshe Viner, Y. Nisnboym, A. Gurshtein, Y. Dobrushin and M. Litakov. (76937)      $85.00

Sovetish Literatur Almanakh: Faraynikung fun di Moskver Yidishe Sovetishe Shrayber bam Orgkomitet funem Farband fun Sovetishe Shrayber 9-10. Moscow, Farlag "Emes", 1939. Octavo, paper covers with wear and minor loss at the head of the spine, 544 pp. Softbound. Good. In Yiddish. Contributions from Peretz Markish, David Bergelson, Shmuel Halkin. J. Joffe, S. Persov, S. Rasin, S. Ritman, Aaron Vergelis, Der Nister, David Hofstein, A. Kushnirov, Khona Levin, S. Helmond, S. Godiner, M. Golbstein, Kh. Gorevitsh, E. Gordon, Lev Kvitko, S. Kholodenko, V. Orshavsky, M. Taytsh, Taras Shevchenko, E. Finenberg, Y. Nusinov, Moshe Viner, A. Groshtein, & A. Finkenstein. (76936)      $75.00

Spivak, E., edited by. Afn shprakhfront : zamlung 3-4. Kiev, Farlag fun Ukrainisher Visnshaft-Akademye, 1935. Octavo, paper covers with minor wear to the rear cover, 355 pp. Softbound. Good. Text is in Yiddish. (77798)  The early Soviet period took a revolutionary attitude towards all aspects of life and language was one of the most active areas. Linguistics proved to be an enduring focus of Soviet life. By the mid-1930s this had become a major area of activity for the academic bureaucracy. This journal reproduces materials from a conference as well as a series of additional academic articles on linguistic issues.    $75.00

Tsaytshrift = Zeitschrift = Chasopis. Bukh Band 4-5. Minsk, Institut far vaysruslendisher kultur, yidisher sektor.; Institut belaruskae kulturi jaurejski sektar.; Institut für weissruthenische Kultur. jüdische Sektor, 1930-1931. Royal octavo, half blue cloth with a woen hand-written spine label, black cloth covered boards, xxii, 345 pp., tables, errata, xvii pp. precis of the articles in German at the rear, 312, 94 pp., yellowed paper. Hardbound. Good. Text is Yiddish except as noted. (77200)   A Soviet equivalent of the big YIVO volumes, but combining the disciplines of literary study, historiography, political economy, and bibliography.     $225.00

Tsaytshrift = Zeitschrift = Chasopis. Band 5. Literatur-Forshung. Minsk, Institut far vaysruslendisher kultur, yidisher sektor.; Institut belaruskae kulturi jaurejski sektar.; Institut für weissruthenische Kultur. jüdische Sektor, 1931. Royal octavo, olive cloth spine with a worn paper label, edgeworn marbled paper covers, original wraps bound in, 312, 94 pp., yellowed paper. Hardbound. Good. In Yiddish except as noted. (77179)      $150.00

Secular Jewish Culture's many Yiddish faces

A selection of books discussing the many types of Jewish activism, ideology and interest in the first part of the last century. This selection leans towards the doctrinal rather than the purely social. (Subsequent posts will focus on some literature and social activities).

Farnberg, K. Der Shtutgarter kongres un zayne problemen. Ershter Heft. [First and only.]. Vilna, Bikherferlag "Tsukunft", [1908]. Duodecimo, delicate paper covers with slight chipping to the rear panel, 45 pp. Softbound. Very Good-. In vocalized Yiddish. A record of the International Socialist Congress, the Seventh Congress of the Second International, held in Stuttgart from 18 to 24 August, 1907. (66565)      $45.00

"Loz Got zayn vorhaftik". ["Let God Be True."]. Brooklyn, New York, Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, International Bible Students Association, 1949. First Yiddish language edition. Duodecimo, green paper covers with gold lettering, rubbing to the spine edges, 320 pp., indexes. Hardbound. Good. Translated into Yiddish from the First Edition in English, 1929.
     This is one of several publications in Yiddish from the Millenarian cult/religion, the "Jehovah's Witnesses." The Jehovah's Witnesses view themselves as doctrinally close to the Christianity of the first century. The church coalesced around a group led by Charles Taze Russell in 1870. The first Millenarian prediction was set for 1914. The most recent date that came into prominence was 1975. There is a habit of trying to destroy Jehovah's Witness publication that are reminder of past failed prediction. The church became more cult-like under the leadership of Joseph Franklin Rutherford. It was in the period of his leadership that the outreach outside the US and to non-English speaking prospects began. As the church is based in Brooklyn, Yiddish must have seemed like a logical linguistic choice for the Church Elders and they were not without some success in the Jewish community. Since the disappointment of 1975 the church has become less internally authoritarian. Adherents now number over ten million internationally. Paradoxically, their defense of their beliefs in the American courts and the courts of Canada, Germany, India, Japan, the Philippines, Russia and most recently, the  European Court of Human Rights have done much to strengthen the religious and free speech rights of all members of the nations that they have succeeded in.
     Church members are pacifistic, refuse blood transfusions and many other medical procedures and believe that the saluting of National flags is a form of idolatry. This has cause them to be persecuted at times. Under the Nazi regime over a thousand of the 10,000 Witnesses interned died. About 250 of those were executed. The camp identification of the Witnesses was a purple triangle flat at the top and with the point down. Witnesses have also experienced particularly harsh treatment in the Soviet Union, and Canada.
     The Jehovah's Witness' seem like an unlikely group to focus on Yiddish speakers. It should be remembered that they have been had a large facility in Brooklyn visible from the Brooklyn Bridge. Their efforts did bear some fruit. In particular, one of the most well known of the scholar rabbis of the Jewish Theological Seminary abided with his wife, a convert to the Witness' faith. These Yiddish edition of Jehovah's Witness publication are often in the collections of Jewish libraries without any understanding of their actual nature where they are misfiled in with various other works of Biblical interpretation and commentary. They do belong in Jewish libraries, but in the correct locations. (66562)     $75.00

Borochov, Ber. Di Idishe arbeter bavegung in tsifern. Berlin, Aroysgegebn fun'm fareynigtn Borokhov-komitet: Farlag Ostertog, 1923. Small octavo, red cloth with black lettering, minor sunning to the spine and with mild wear at the spine ends, tables, errata sheet laid-in at the rear, yellowed paper. Hardbound. Very Good-. Text is in Yiddish. Yiddish language publishing flourished in Germany, primarily Berlin, in the period for the Nazi rise to power. While these Yiddish works published in Germany are not as uncommon as those published in this period in Argentina and the Netherlands, for instance, they are still not thoroughly explored.
       Borochov requires less introduction. Borochov combined Socialism and Zionism and became an early proponent of Labor Zionism. He died in 1917. The period dealt with in this work is from 1900-1903/4. (66559)      $50.00

Zhitlowsky, Chaim. Di asimilatsye: vos zi zogt tsu un vos zi git. Vienna, Ferlag naye velt, 1914. Small octavo, dark green cloth with white spine lettering, 40 pp., yellowed paper. Hardbound. Very Good. Text is in Yiddish. Uncommon. Now an obscure figure Zhitlowsky was a towering figure in his own time. As a young man he was associated with the Zemlya i Volya movement. Presciently, he advocated for a Jewish section with the movement, hinting at the Labor Bund founded in 1897. He was a theorist of Yiddishkeit and Jewish secularism. Assimilation was a natural concern for him. (66602)      $60.00

Kautsky, Karl. Dos Erfurter program: etyudn fun politishe ekonomye. Warsaw, Faralg "Di Velt", 1906. Small octavo, half black cloth with mildly worn marbled paper covered boards, 280, ix pp., yellowed paper. Appears to have originally been published in parts. Hardbound. Very Good-. Text is in Yiddish. OCLC Number: 15715278. Kautsky was, along with Eduard Bernstein and August Bebel, the author of the Social Democratic Party of Germany platform in 1891. The focus of this platform was the work, through legal means, of improving the lives of the working class. Because they were convinced that Capitalism would collapse under its own weight they placed less emphasis on pushing towards revolution.They considered that to be an inevitability. This more pragmatic communism was more popular at the time than the more ideological communism of the Russian variety. For Jews of the time, largely a working class population, this sort of communism would have served well. (66599)      $75.00

Preil, Eleazar Meir. A hand bukh far di Idishe froy. New York, Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, 1920. Duodecimo, stapled paper covers with some soiling, 32 pp., a few illustrated head and tail pieces. Softbound. Good. Text is in Yiddish. A modern Orthodox version of what a Jewish woman needs to know. Written at a time when the American Orthodox community was coming to grips with strength of the secular impulse. (66571)      $30.00

Marx, Karl. Arbeytskraft un kapital. Warsaw, Printed by Druk "Ha-Tsefirah", 1905. Small octavo, red cloth with faded gold lettering, endpapers cracked at the hinges, 40, 23 pp., lightly yellowed paper. Hardbound. Good. Translated into Yiddish by M[ax] Weber. Bound with F[erdinand] Lassalle's "Vos iz Konstitutsye?" Translated into Yiddish by A. Goldberg. Warsaw, Ferlag Tseyt-bibliotek, 1905. (66569)      $45.00

Meyers, Isaac, edited by. Yehi'el A. Ravitsh: a zamlung fun opshatsungen un bagrisungen fun zayne fraynt/ Yechiel A. Ravitch: A Tribute from His Legion of Friends. January - 1949. Los Angeles, California, A Ravitch Testemonial Committee, 1949. Octavo, paper covers, 41, 49 pp., duotone illustrations, ads. Softbound. Very Good. In Yiddish and English. Ravitch was both an active Jewish communal worker and a Labor Zionist. (66314)      $40.00

Yunyon-Skver: Ershter Zamlbukh fun'm Farband fun Proletarishe Shreyber in Amerike ("Proletpen")/ Union Square: First Quarterly of the Union of Proletarian Yiddish Writers of America (Proletpen). New York, Proletpen, December, 1930. Octavo, illustrated paper covers with soiling and minor wear, 238 pp. Softbound. Good. In Yiddish. Cover illustrations by Yosl Cutler. (35567)      $50.00
 
Zhitlowsky, H., edited by. Dos Naye Leben: A Monatshrift. Ershter Band, Detsember, 1908 - November, 1909. Twelve issues. New York, Dos Naye Leben, 1908-1909. Octavo, worn and soiled black leather with gold lettering, black cloth covered boards, 66, 66, 66, 66, 66, 66, 66, 66, 66, 66, 66, 66 pp. Retains the front paper cover bound in of the front cover of the first issue.  Hardbound. Good. Text is in Yiddish. One year of Zhitlowsky's journalist project. (68276)      $50.00

A few Yiddish books with illustrations

A selection of Yiddish books with interesting illustrations. None are particularly rare, but all are interesting and essential.

Cutler, Yosel [Kotler, Yosl]. Muntergang/ Stories and Drawings. New York, Farlag Signal Proletaren, 1934. Tsvayte Oyflage (Koregirt.). Octavo, green cloth with black lettering, mildly soiled printed paper illustration over most of the front board, 192 pp., b/w drawings, glossary, mild soiling to the rear cover. Illustrations by Cutler throughout.  Hardbound. Very Good-. Text is in Yiddish. Cutler and Zuni Meod wrote and did props and backdrops for Maurice Schwartz's Yiddish Art Theater. They also had their own puppet theater for children. This volume is a collection of Proletarian and anti-religious poetry and fiction. The drawings and caricatures are quite sharp. At his best Cutler was a serious competitor for William Gropper. Cutler made Gropper seem like a middle-of-the-roader. A classic of Jewish humor. (562)      $40.00
The first illustration appears on the front cover and serves as the title page. The second image is the illustrator's ex-libris. The last is one of the illustrations from the body of the text. I selected this image in particular because of the similarity in subject matter to the sorts of subject matter that Gropper might have taken up for contrast. The central figure is reminiscent of Gropper, but the grotesque policeman uniquely Cutler's.

Magidoff, Jacob. Der shpigel fun der Ist Sayd/ The Mirrors of the East Side. New York, The Author, 1923. Octavo, soiled black cloth with red lettering, front endpaper soiled, 218 pp., b/w drawings by Saul Raskin. Hardbound. Good. Text is in Yiddish.  Magidoff was the editor of the Jewish Morning Journal for over forty years. This self-published work came out at the middle of his lengthy tenure. There are full page drawings of all eighteen Lower East Side political figures profiled here by Saul Raskin. Included are Abe Cahan, Morris Hillquit, Meir London and others of their ilk. Raskin, a now highly under-appreciated American Jewish artist was a powerful influence on the immigrant Jewish community on the first third of the 20th century. This aspect of Raskin's life involved journalist advocacy and very popular walking tours of New York's finer Art Museums. Raskin was a populist and a Zionist. He was very concerned with encouraging Jewish Art which he defined as art with Jewish cultural content. He was opposed by critics who were more interested in aesthetic issues than identity issues. Raskin was very active in journalistic caricature and comic illustrations for humor magazines. He is now largely remembered for his large format illustrated books (Hagada, Ani Ma'amin, Siddur, Pirke Avot, Land of Palestine, Personal Surrealism, etc.) This is an early non-journalistic forum for his art. (12321)      $40.00
This portrait of Abraham Cahan along with the others in this volume were popular enough to have been issued as postcards.

Raskin, Saul. Erets Yisroel in vort un bild: Indrike fun tsvey rayzes (1921-1924). New York, Reznick, Menshel un Co., 1925. First Edition. Octavo, tan cloth with black lettering, 318 pp., b/w drawings by the author. Chapter headings are also in the author's distinctive graphic style.  Hardbound. Very Good. Text is in Yiddish. Introduction by Reuben Breinin. Raskin's record of his travels to Mandate Palestine. The drawings are quite detailed but still small. It is quite clear that the larger formats that Raskin adopted in his later productions was already in his mind. (66598)      $40.00

This illustration is captioned, "Alt Yerushalayim, di gegend arum der 'Vand,' der kupel fun der Mosk Omar."

Weinstein, B. Bilder fun Yidishn Arbeter-Lebn in Amerike/ Sketches of the Life of Jewish Workers in America. New York, Dem Arbeter Ring Bildung-Department, 1935. Square octavo, red cloth with black lettering, spine worn and frayed, an illustrated paper panel over the front board, frontispiece drawing, b/w plates by Note Kozlovsky. Hardbound. Good-. Text is in Yiddish. Compiled and edited by Naftoli Gros. A children's book about Jewish labor history in America.  (57953)      $40.00
Above, a drawing by Kozlovsky of the author and a selected illustration from the volume captioned, "Oysvanderer -Mit zek un mit pek oyf di Playtses."